Masterchef UK judge dishes on the show’s secret recipe to success

He will be back on our screens for the 10th season of Celebrity MasterChef on BBC Lifestyle (DStv 174).

Watch the trailer here:

The chef and restaurateur was recently in South Africa to give us a taste, literally, of the new season.

At the BBC Worldwide Upfront he cooked one of the dishes that will be featured on the upcoming series.

This year marks John and Greg's 13th year together and just recently they shot their 25th series together.

"What we have learnt along the way is to be yourself. Greg and I are completely different people, we have different opinion's and like different things which makes it a good television experience," says John.

He thinks that the major appeal of the show is that it is about real people doing real things, that we all like food and that the show is constantly exploring different cuisines and techniques.

One episode of the 25th series was shot right here in South Africa.

The judges along with the contestants travelled to the Mother City for a culinary adventure.

"We took them for a braai at a game reserve which is very different from a BBQ in England. We filmed at a vineyard and at the Test Kitchen which is modern and new world," says John.

While he was here he even braved the Camps Bay waters.

"Look, I'm an Australian I can swim anywhere but that is just ridiculous!"

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THE WINNING MASTERCHEF RECIPE

25 series in, which has been his favourite?

John says every one of the 25 has been and that he loves them all for different reasons.

"I get very emotional in all of them. It is just a great thing to watch people get better as they learn and grow as cooks. For me one of the great jobs of MasterChef is watching each contestant leave, whether it be early in the competition or the finale, as a better cook."

He continues: "MasterChef does change people's lives. There are now over 100 restaurants owned by contestants. Our first winner has 26 restaurants around London."

His top tip for anyone wanting to enter a reality food competition show is to know the basics.

"Understand how to fillet a piece of fish, understand how to break down meat, understand how to cook chicken properly and to pull it apart, understand how to cook a vegetable properly, know how to make a great stock and some basics like how to bake a sponge cake and make custard – know the basics after that you’re done, sorted."

Asked whether or not they can tell a winner at the beginning to the competition, he laughs.

"We have a great saying on the show within the first week we know the winner by the second week they have gone home."

Tune in to Celebrity MasterChef from Wednesday, 9 August at 20:00 on BBC Lifestyle (DStv Channel 174).